Dynamic light sculpture

Abstract

An elongate element such as a length of nylon cord or fiber optic cable is provided with means attached to at least one of its ends and operable to rotate or otherwise move the same. The moving elongate element is illuminated by illuminating means operable to vary the color of illuminating light either independently of, or in dependence on, the speed of movement of the said elongate element thereby to obtain a constant or varying visual effect.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A dynamic light sculpture, being a structure having at least one moving part and means for illuminating the same, comprising: a first motor having a motor shaft;   power supply means for supplying power to said first motor;   a base on which said first motor is supported;   a flexible elongate element capable of assuming a multiplicity of different curvilinear shapes and having first and second ends thereof, said first end being coupled with said shaft of said first motor and moved by rotation thereof; and   varying-color illuminating means mounted to said base and positioned to illuminate said elongate element with light of varying color.   
     
     
       2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said illuminating means includes a light source and a plate of light transmitting material having at least two regions, are of which is positioned intermediate said light source and said elongate element, said at least two regions being of different coloration and said illuminating means having means for repeatedly changing which of said at least two regions is positioned intermediate said light source and said elongate element. 
     
     
       3. The invention of claim 2, wherein said plate is a disk and each of said at least two regions is a sector thereof, and wherein said means for positioning regions includes a disk motor having a motor shaft coupled to rotate said disk about its center. 
     
     
       4. The invention of claim 3, having means for controlling the speed of rotation of said shaft of said first motor and said shaft of said disk motor to be the same. 
     
     
       5. The invention of claim 3, further comprising first speed control means operable to controllably vary the speed of rotation of said shaft of said disk motor. 
     
     
       6. The invention of claim 3, further comprising first random-control means operable to randomly vary the speed of rotation of said shaft of said disk motor. 
     
     
       7. The invention of claim 2, further comprising a blanking plate of opaque material and means for repeatly moving said blanking plate into and out of a position intermediate said light source and said elongate element. 
     
     
       8. A dynamic light sculpture, being a structure having at least one moving part and means for illuminating the same, comprising: a first motor having a motor shaft;   power supply means for supplying power to said first motor;   first mounting means to which said first motor is attached and by which said first motor is supported;   a base to which said firsst mounting means is attached;   an elongate element having first and second ends thereof, said first end being coupled with said shaft of said first motor and moved by rotation thereof;   varying-color illuminating means mounted to said base and positioned to illuminate said elongate element with light of varying color, said illuminating means including a light source and a plate of light transmitting material having at least two regions, one of which is positioned intermediate said light source and said elongate element, said at least two regions being of different coloration and said illuminating means having means for repeatedly changing which of said at least two regions is positioned intermediate said light source and said elongate element; and   a blanking plate of opaque material and means for repeatedly moving said blanking plate into and out of a position intermediate said light source and said elongate element, said blanking plate comprising at least two arm portions and a central portion of which each of said at least two arm portions is attached and said means for repeatedly moving said blanking plate includes a blanking plate motor having a motor shaft coupled to rotate said blanking plate about its central portion.   
     
     
       9. The invention of claim 1, wherein said base is an enclosure having an aperture in a wall thereof; said illuminating means being located within said enclosure and light emitted by said illuminating passing through said aperture to illuminate said elongate element. 
     
     
       10. A dynamic light sculpture, being a structure having at least one moving part and means for illuminating the same, comprising: a first motor having a motor shaft;   power supply means for supplying power to said first motor;   first mounting means to which said first motor is attached and by which said first motor is supported;   a base to which said first mounting means is attached;   an elongate element having first and second ends thereof, said first end being coupled with said shaft of said first motor and moved by rotation thereof; and   varying-color illuminating means mounted to said base and positioned to illuminate said elongate element with light of varying color, and said elongate element being a length of cord.   
     
     
       11. A dynamic light sculpture, being a structure having at least one moving part and means for illuminating the same, comprising: a first motor having a motor shaft;   power supply means for supplying power to said first motor;   first mounting means to which said first motor is attached and by which said first motor is supported;   a base to which said first mounting means is attached;   an elongate element having first and second ends thereof, said first end being coupled with said shaft of said first motor and moved by rotation thereof; and   varying-color illuminating means mounted to said base and positioned to illuminate said elongate element with light of varying color, said elongate element being a length of fiber optic cable the surface of which is abraided to allow light carried by said cable to escape therethrough, said illuminating means being positioned to illuminate an end face of said fiber optic cable.   
     
     
       12. The invention of claim 1, wherein, at the point of coupling therebetween, said elongate element extends in a direction offset from the axis of said shaft of said first motor. 
     
     
       13. The invention of claim 12, wherein said first end of said elongate element is rotatably attached to said shaft of said first motor. 
     
     
       14. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a weight attached to said second end of said elongate element. 
     
     
       15. A dynamic light sculpture, being a structure having at least one moving part and means for illuminating the same, comprising: a first motor having a motor shaft;   power supply means for supplying power to said first motor;   first mounting to which said first motor is attached and by which said first motor is supported;   a base to which said first mounting means is attached;   an elongate element having first and second ends thereof, said first end being coupled with said shaft of said first motor and moved by rotation thereof; and   varying-color illuminating means mounted to said base and positioned to illuminate said elongate element with light of varying color, and a bearing joint whereby said second end of said elongate element is rotatably connected with said base.   
     
     
       16. A dynamic light sculpture, being a structure having at least one moving part and means for illuminating the same, comprising: a first motor having a motor shaft;   power supply means for supplying power to said first motor;   first mounting means to which said first motor is attached and by which said first motor is supported;   a base to which said first mounting means is attached;   an elongate element having first and second ends, thereof, said first end being coupled with said shaft of said first motor and moved by rotation thereof; and   varying-color illuminating means mounted to said base and positioned to illuminate said elongate element with light of varying color, said first mounting means including at least one jointed portion whereby the position of said first motor relative to said base may be altered by rotation of said first motor about a pivot axis of said at least one jointed portion.   
     
     
       17. A dynamic light sculpture, being a structure having at least one moving part and means for illuminating the same, comprising: a first motor having a motor shaft;   power supply means for supplying power to said first motor;   first mounting means to which said first motor is attached and by which said first motor is supported;   a base to which said first mounting means is attached;   an elongate element having first and second ends thereof, said first end being coupled with said shaft of said first motor and moved by rotation thereof; and   varying-color illuminating means mounted to said base and positioned to illuminate said elongate element with light of varying color, and further comprising a second motor connected to a said power supply means and having a motor shaft coupled with said second end of said elongate element; and second mounting means to which said second motor is attached and by which said second motor is supported, said second mounting means being attached to said base.   
     
     
       18. The invention of claim 17, wherein said first motor and said second motor are substantially identical and are connected in parallel to said power supply whereby said shaft of said first motor and said shaft of said second motor are driven to rotate at substantially the same speed. 
     
     
       19. The invention of claim 17, wherein said second mounting means includes at least one jointed portion whereby the position of said second motor relative to said base may be altered by rotation of said second motor about a pivot axis of said at least one jointed portion. 
     
     
       20. The invention of claim 1, further comprising speed control means operable to controllably vary the speed or rotation of said shaft of said first motor by control of the power supplied to said first motor. 
     
     
       21. The invention of claim 20, further comprising random-control means operable to randomly vary the speed of rotation of said shaft of said first motor. 
     
     
       22. A dynamic light sculpture, being a structure having at least one moving part and means for illuminating the same, comprising: a first motor having a motor shaft;   power supply means for supplying power to said first motor;   first mounting means to which said first motor is attached and by which sair first motor is supported;   a base to which said first mounting means is attached;   an elongate element having first and second ends thereof, said first end being coupled with said shaft of said first motor and moved by rotation thereof; and   varying-color illuminating means mounted to said base and positioned to illuminate said elongate element with light of varying color, said elongate element being a length of fiber optic cable having an outer surface which permits light to escape therethrough along the length of said cable, said illuminating means being positioned to illuminate an end face of said fiber optic cable.